


Road to the Destiny

by Malauu_Ladynoir



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Knows, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Needs a Hug, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Chat Noir/Ladybug Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Love Confessions, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29179251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malauu_Ladynoir/pseuds/Malauu_Ladynoir
Summary: "Make your life a dream and your dreams a reality." this is what our two heroes trapped in a love square would soon discover. Because sometimes Miraculous magic holds many surprises. Chat Noir and Ladybug were going to learn it at their expense. 11 parts: 1 chapter / day until Valentine's Day.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 12
Kudos: 72





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language but I handle it pretty well.
> 
> Thanks to my BETA: Etoile-Lead-Sama

_ “Chat Noir ?!”  _

_ Ladybug runs through a gigantic pine forest, panting, she stops, she pivots on herself, several times, her gaze sweeping every corner of the forest.  _ _ Night has fallen, it’s dark, damp and cold. She shivers, a tear runs down her mask, she shakes her head and clears her throat before calling her partner again.  _

_ "Chat Noir ?! I'm scared, where are you ?!"  _

_ She resumes her frantic race following another dirt road, the cold wind slaps the sensitive skin of her face, but she still continues to venture further into the heart of the forest, ignoring the cold and the threatening storm to burst.  _ _ Her heart beats frantically with physical exertion and fear, but no matter what, she throws her yo-yo at the top of an old pine tree and climbs up to give rest to her aching legs, her arms reaching out now the relay to help her move quickly.  _

_ In the distance, a faint, subdued glow suddenly catches her attention, she throws her yo-yo faster, harder and with less precision. She almost misses her grip on a branch as her movements are so fast and imprecise, but she finally manages to wind her rope around a trunk and avoid a heavy fall on the path below.  _

_ Moments later, she lands heavily and breathlessly in front of a wooden cabin. Without any hesitation, she quickly opens the door and rushes into the shelter.  _

_ "Chat Noir, is that you ?!"  _

__

_ By a fire, there is a black figure that she knows perfectly well. He turns to her, him, her partner, Chat Noir. His two intense green feline eyes are shining with tears.  _

_ "My lady, is it you? have you really looked for me?"  _

_ “Of course! I've always looked for you.”  _

_ “I thought you would never find me!”  _

_ “I'm sorry I waited so long to find you.”  _

_ She walks forward. He gets up and slowly approaches her. She runs and fills the gap, throwing her arms around his neck and pinning her lips against his in a fervent kiss.  _

* * *

  
  


Marinette woke up abruptly, breathing heavy and rapidly, forehead wet with sweat, and body shivering intensely from an indescribable sensation.

Awakened by the strong and irregular breathing of her holder, Tikki emerged from her cocoon to hover slowly to Marinette, gently resting herself in the crook of her neck. 

"Always the same dream as the two previous nights?" Asked the little red Kwami in a soft and calm voice. 

"Yes, she breathed softly in response, gently massaging her sore legs, before adding; These are not dreams like the others are they? When I wake up my legs hurt excruciatingly like I had really been running all night, I feel like I am actually there with Chat Noir. Tikki, I need you to tell me what it is if you know it. "

The ladybug kwami hesitated a moment, she didn't think her holder was ready for this already. Marinette, like Chat Noir, were young compared to the other holders and when the process had started to unfold for them. But she also knew that there could be no mistakes: The Miraculous is never wrong when it triggers the reveal process. 

" _ Destiny _ is falling into place, because your bond is strong enough and your feelings match," Tikki replied, eyes shining with an emotion Marinette couldn't name. 

“Destiny, bond, feelings, what?” Marinette repeated, confused. 

“You and Chat Noir, you are soul mates.”

“What! But, Tikki you know perfectly well that I am in love… with… Adrien”, exclaimed the young woman. 

“You hesitated, Marinette. You have feelings for Chat Noir, there is no point in rejecting them… Master Fu has chosen you for this reason. The holders of the Miraculous of the Ladybug and the Black Cat are always meant to be together, you complement each other, as yin and yang, two halves of a whole.

“My fate is all mapped out because I'm wearing a Miraculous ?! So I have no control over the choices I want to make in my life ?! I do not agree with that, I refuse that the course of my life is imposed on me ! “ She screamed.

“Of course some have tried to resist their  _ Destiny _ but this approach is always heavy in consequence. During the Victorian era our two holders died from it. “

“What ?! “ Marinette breathed in amazement. 

“The Ladybug killed herself, because her Cat refused to comply with destiny and a line of conduct pre-defined for him. Heartbroken and lovesick, she ... She …” Tikki stifled a sob at the memory of her former holder and then resumed her story. “ And her Cat couldn't bear to live without her, he realized too late that  _ Elisabeth _ was everything to him, that he loved her and that he had always loved her without it being forced on him .... The holder gave up on Plagg and disappeared. Plagg never recovered. We share a special bond with our wearers, even when they are not transformed, we can still feel certain things ... Plagg felt the sharpest pain a few hours after  _ Louis _ disappeared ... Even though they didn't ever find his body, he knew that .... that he had joined his Ladybug in a world that they hoped would be more peaceful.

Marinette was speechless with confusion, astonishment but also sadness, following the story of her Kwami. 

Tikki was now pressed against the cheek of the young woman in a gesture that wanted to be tender and comforting. Slowly little Kwami spoke again: 

“Nothing is imposed on you Marinette, this Destiny comes from the depths of your heart, it has always been there, since your birth. Do you know the myth of the  _ Androgyne _ ? The myth says that an androgyne was formed by two beings of opposite sexes coupled together.  Two beings in one. Proud of their dual nature, the Androgynes wanted to challenge the Gods, and in particular Zeus, by trying to access the kingdom of the Gods.  These, angry, decided to punish the androgynes by separating them into two distinct beings. The separated Androgynes were very sad and began to meet again.  Their quest was generally long.  The myth says that love is only a feeling of lack of this state of oneness between two beings. Thus, soul mates were born. Marinette is not a myth. Plagg and I were witnesses to this. You and the boy hiding under Chat Noir's mask are made for each other."

“I… what… what does this have to do with my dreams? Did you say  _ Destiny _ was falling into place?” She asked. 

“There comes a time when your Miraculous feels that the bond you share is strong enough to make you understand who the other is. It even becomes a necessity. As a result, you have common dreams, guiding you step by step towards the identity of the other. Dreams are progressive and are there to help you find the other, it avoids a blunt disclosure”, Tikki finally said.

One element had particularly caught the attention of Marinette:

“Common dreams?”

“Well, yes, you and Chat Noir are going to be sharing your dreams for days, maybe even months depending on how long the revealing process takes. It will depend on both of you and your understanding of the other. “

“I can't believe it”, Marinette whispered before spreading out again on her mattress, hoping to be able to sleep again, unfortunately her alarm clock had decided otherwise.  
  


Plagg told almost the same story Tikki had told Marinette, to his own holder, Adrien. Well, almost, because he had deliberately passed the passage of the Victorian era, and deliberately omitted the myth of the androgyne, well all the sentimental and romantic details which disgusted him somewhat had been put aside by the little Kwami cat. 

Which was not a problem with his kitten, because the latter had perfectly welcomed the fact that his  _ Destiny _ had set out to lead him to his ladybug. He had also shown a certain euphoria knowing that he shared the same dreams as Ladybug as well as a strong excitement by evoking the memory of the kiss exchanged in their dream, excitement which had pushed Plagg to ignore the amorous praise of Adrien, to fly to his reserve of cheese in order to take out a piece of Camembert, much more interesting. Which he hastened to swallow in a fraction of a second.

**_To be continued…_ **


	2. 4th February

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody, like I told you yesterday, I'll publish one chapter by day, so here's the second one.
> 
> Good reading,

_**The first step to our Destiny:** _

"Plagg, are you sure that this process of revelation supposed to lead us to each other has started?" Asked the blond.

"Destiny", corrected the Kwami of Destruction. "I am also sure that Old Boulogne is the most fragrant Camembert in the world."

Okay, so Adrien certainly couldn't doubt that statement. He knew something about it: it was the Camembert he offered to Plagg only after the most arduous and exhausting fights. He had learned the hard way that yes, the smell of cheese had the power to instantly make you fall unconscious.

_Perhaps this scent could even cause the Akumas to leave their victim and purify themselves?_

So the answer was : Yes, Plagg was sure of himself, the first step towards their _Destiny_ had been taken.

_But why hadn't he had a dream the night before?_

As if he could read his mind, the little Kwami cat gave him the necessary clarifications.

"Maybe you'll dream every day, or maybe not, kid", Plagg exclaimed.

"Will it take long?" Asked Adrien, impatient but also excited to soon discover the identity of his Lady.

"It will depend on your receptivity to both of you. If you are ready it will go very quickly, but if you are not on the same wavelength it can take time, a lot of time."

"A lot ? That is to say ?"

"Let me try to remember our most stubborn holders... Ah! It comes back to me. It was not nothing these two! Cleopatra finally came to terms with her feelings for Caesar after almost two years of shared dreams."

"Two years ! With Ladybug, we're off to a good start to beat the record !", underlined Adrien, deeply dejected… "Wait what? Julius Caesar was a Chat Noir ?"

"No,no. Cleopatra was the holder of the Miraculous of the Black cat. Caesar was the Ladybug ... However, to preserve his manhood and his ego, he called himself _The Red Soldier."_

"Fascinating! Thanks for this history lesson, Plagg. Now, I'm going to bed, maybe tonight will be the right one..."

* * *

_The fire crackles and diffuses a pleasant heat in this strange little hut lost in the middle of the forest._

_He embraces the body that has just snuggled up against him firmly, his lips moving to the rhythm of hers. It's warm, sweet and intoxicating._

_She breaks the kiss, and slowly pulls away from him._ _He observes attentively the young woman in front of him, as well as the decoration which surrounds him: he knows now that he is in a dream._

_"Why did you kiss me ?"_

_"I thought I lost you, Chat Noir. I thought I would never find you again."_

_He walks slowly and puts his black-gloved hand on Ladybug's cheek. His thumb delicately traces the edge of her mask before descending along her jaw to finish caressing her lips tenderly._

_"Let me kiss you again."_

_Ladybug shivers, Chat's voice is a hoarse whisper and full of envy. She closes her eyes, while he still caresses her mouth very gently with his thumbs._

_Slowly, he brings his lips to hers. He gives her the opportunity to step back, but she does not. Like a feather, he gently and lightly brushes his partner's upper lip with his lower lip, while their warm breaths intermingle._

_The senses of the young woman explodes, the smell of the feline's fragrance mixed with the warmth of his breath completely intoxicates her sense of smell. The sound of his rapid breathing is a seductive melody to her ears. The feline's lips caress hers with the lightness of a feather. Only one of her senses is still lacking. To satisfy this deficiency, she reduces the space between them and presses her mouth against his, regaining the softness of his kiss._

_A low growl erupts outside as their lips meet into full contact again. The storm is in full swing outside, but at this precise moment, it's as if it is also pouring into the depths of their souls. The thunder roars in their ears and the lightning pierces them right through, sending an electric shock in their kiss and making their whole bodies vibrate._

_She shivers. He shivers. At that moment, they know perfectly well that they both just felt the same sensation._ _The kiss intensifies, their rapid breaths mingle again and again, their lips interlock to perfection, it's hot, intense and mesmerizing._

_Chat Noir moves away from Ladybug a little, he fills his lungs with oxygen and hides his head in the crook of her neck. He flattens his lips just where her costume ends and places one, two, ten, a multitude of kisses there. The last kiss, more carnal, more sonorous, left a red mark on the skin of his partner._

* * *

Marinette suddenly sat up in bed, one hand resting on her lips and the other on her neck, remembering what had just happened. An alarm sounded vividly in her ears, knocking her out of her memories quite quickly. She got up to find her phone and turn off her alarm clock, when she saw that it was actually an Akuma alert.

An Akuma alert at 6.30 a.m., 2 hours before the start of classes.

_Awesome._

"A superhero never rests", she breathed, "Tikki, Spots on!"

Ladybug arrived at the scene where Hawkmoth victim was using beams to make cars disappear in his path, leaving behind completely deserted streets devoid of vehicles

The supervillain was in fact a young parcel deliverer, exasperated by the Morning traffic jams forming in the center of Paris, causing him to waste time on his tour.

Ladybug, impatient to get it over with as soon as possible, immediately jumped in front of the akumatized: Deliverman. A few long minutes later, Chat Noir sits loosely by her side, unsheathing his stick and placing himself in a fighting position, ready to attack.

"Well Kitty, did we have trouble getting up this morning? "

_Had Ladybug really just handed him such an easy opening ?_

"I can't help it, Bugaboo. I was having an absolutely perfect dream and what's more, I was in very pleasant company." He replied, winking playfully at his partner.

_How could she have forgotten the existence of this enormous detail? Obviously, if Chat Noir was present in her dream, it is because this dream also belonged to him._

Ladybug felt her cheeks flush under her mask and turned sharply away from the feline hero, appealing to her Lucky Charm at the same time.

As she watched the small red and black object that had just fallen into her hands, she heard her partner use his best weapon to distract Deliverman: _Provocation._

"You have chosen the Chat Noir express, with free delivery of paws in the buttocks of the supervillains. Thank you for your trust!" Chat Noir exclaimed, pushing the villain aside with a side kick.

Moments later, Ladybug thrust a red bucket with black polka dots on the hand with which the supervillain fired his rays and Chat Noir smacked his destructive Cataclysm on the delivery man's cap, in which the Akuma had lodged

"Miraculous LadyBug !"

The man, helped by the two Parisian heroes, got back on board his van to resume his delivery round as quickly as possible.

"Pound it", they exclaimed with one voice, banging their fists together.

Chat Noir smirked and approached Ladybug:

"I think you should wear a scarf today, m'Lady", the feline hero hissed in a mischievous voice while giving his partner a flirtatious wink.

The young heroine felt herself blush instantly and placed her hand on her neck, where the Cat had marked her during the night. The scarlet color of her face perfectly matched that of her costume.

_It was more than dreams, it was practically a second nightlife._

Chat Noir stifled a laugh, bowed gracefully and greeted his partner.

"See you next night, Bugaboo."

_**To be continued ...** _

* * *

_I hope you're enjoyed this second chapter._

_I really want to know your opinions, so leave me reviews, thanks._

_See you tomorrow for the third part._


	3. 5th February

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have all a good reading!

**_The second step to our destiny:_ **

Adrien dropped his school bag at the foot of his bed and collapsed on his mattress. The young boy was exhausted from having started his day with a fight against an Akuma. 

_ Where was he perhaps exhausted from having only half slept? Besides, how could he define this nocturnal phenomenon with which he was confronted?  _

Because he slept, and did not leave his bed all night and at the same time he was awake, in a ... magical place? Aware and master of everything that happened there, and able to have perfect memories of it the next morning. He was even able to remember each of the sensations he felt, or even still feel them. Plus, judging by the red mark on his partner's neck, they even seemed like they were able to keep physical marks of what was going on in that place. 

_ Half asleep? A second nightlife? Awake sleep? An active intra-sleep life? It didn't really make sense, but at the same time, it was magical, just like their kwamis and their powers.  _

Adrien closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about the day he had just spent in college. 

He had met about fifteen girls wearing scarves or handkerchiefs, nothing surprising in the middle of winter and with a temperature of around 28 F° ( -2 C°) outside. Then, it was necessary to face the facts: nothing indicated that his Lady attended the same school as him. However, one of his classmates had particularly caught his attention today:  _ Marinette Dupain-Cheng.  _

The young girl had arrived when Miss Bustier's class had just started, she had stammered out a few excuses, quickly accepted by their teacher, while catching her breath. She was wearing a gray and pink scarf, and her cheeks were nicely tinted pink from the cold, or perhaps from the frantic race she had just had to arrive without too much delay, or even quite simply by a mixture of these two things : the cold outside and the physical effort. Still, Adrien found it totally adorable. 

For some reason, the pink on his classmate's cheeks had grown brighter, and more adorable, when their eyes met and she gave him a quick hello. 

Nevermind, that wasn't the thing that had caught him the most that day.

No, what had particularly caught his attention was the fact that under her pink and gray scarf which had served her to brave the freezing cold of February, Marinette was wearing another scarf, a sumptuous black silk scarf with an iridescent pink piping. 

If she had quickly got rid of her thick scarf by settling in her place, she had not done the same with her light scarf which she had carefully adjusted to cover her entire neck. 

Adrien had surprised Marinette several times during the day, as she carefully adjusted the black silk around her neck. There was another person for whom this repetitive gesture had not gone unnoticed: her bench neighbor, and best friend, Alya.

"Girl, if your scarf bothers you, you just have to take it off ", Alya suggested during intercourse. 

This intervention from Alya had made the young blond sitting in the front row turn towards them both.

"No, I prefer to keep it, I have a throat.. uh… have a throat sore ... uh no... I mean, sore throat ", she replied, blushing under Adrien's gaze on her. 

As the Maths teacher entered the classroom, Adrien spun back to his original position before he could say anything. Throughout the day, he found it hard to stay focused on class, his thoughts drifting to the classmate sitting behind him and wondering if she wasn't trying to hide something other than a sore throat under her scarf.

Lying on his bed, Adrien was lost in the memories of his day, wondering, once again, if Marinette could be Ladybug. The idea had crossed his mind several times over the past two years, but there were certain elements that made the match complicated, even impossible. 

Well, of course Marinette was a selfless, courageous, determined, and very pretty girl, like her Lady, but she was also the holder of the Miraculous of the Mouse. If he was in possession of this information it was because he had seen Marinette lose her transformation in front of his eyes when she had helped him and Ladybug defeat  _ KwamiBuster _ . He then saw Marinette with Ladybug, which proved that she couldn't be the one hiding under his partner's mask.

Yet today, Adrien was seized with a powerful and rather strange doubt. 

* * *

"Next time I see that idiot Cat, I'll push him into the  _ Seine _ ! Alya kept looking suspiciously at my scarf and asking me questions about my treatment for my sore throat! " Marinette exclaimed to her kwami. 

"It's not just Chat Noir's fault. You didn't refuse when he begged to kiss you again, and I would even say that you really enjoyed your little moment" , Tikki replied with a mischievous look.

"Okay, I admit, it was very… pleasant, and maybe yes, I have feelings for this silly, funny and attractive Cat." Realizing what she just said Marinette began to blush before addressing the little ladybug again:

"Oh Tikki, it's a disaster, I feel like a tightrope walker balancing on a thread stretched between the two boys who hold my heart held hostage. I feel like I'm losing my balance and I don't know which side I'm going to fall." 

"You will end up falling on the most unexpected side" , replied the kwami. 

"Yes… Well… No, not at all! Well, I don’t know !" Marinette replied, facepalmed. "You know what, I'm going to bed now, and with a bit of luck, I'll see a little clearer tomorrow morning." 

"That's a great idea and, if you meet Chat Noir, just try to chat with him, rather than…" the little Kwami didn't finish her speech, but stifled a small, meaningful laugh. 

"Oh my… Tikki !!" Protested her holder.

* * *

_ At first glance, the colors in the cabin are garish, almost blinding. _

_ Ladybug closes and opens her eyes a few times. She's slightly confused. She turns her head to detail the environment around her and suddenly jumps, coming face to face with two feline irises, whose green color was subtly intensified by the black mask all around.  _

_ "Good evening? Unless it's, good night, what do you think, m'Lady ? Do you think we're in the same place as the other nights?"  _

_ He carefully observes the walls of the shelter. Walls with red and white stripes, giving Chat Noir the impression of being in front of one of those colorful, typical Christmas sweets: Candy Cane. In its version tasteful tapestry.  _

_ Ladybug steps aside and looks out the window. All she sees is a vast expanse of majestic evergreen trees as far as her eyes can see.  _

_ "Same place, kitty." _

_ Suddenly, a voice behind them catches their attention. They turn around and discover with surprise that the old chimney and the fire that crackled there the night before, have disappeared; replaced by a traveling Ice-Merchand trailer. Not just any ice cream counter, but that of “ André le Glacier “, the most famous Ice cream maker of Paris. _

_ "André ?!" The confused voices of the two superheroes echo throughout the room at the same time.  _

_ "Himself! Ladybug, Chat Noir, the most incredible duo in Paris, a couple united by trust and love, what a pleasure to see you tonight."  _

_ "We are not a couple." Ladybug replied immediately. _

_ “ _ _ When there's love burning in one heart, André knows it from the start. _ _ ”  _

_ Ladybug pursues her lips and grimaces at the Ice cream parlor's words, while Chat Noir, always beside her, smiles blissfully.  _

_ “Let me make your ice cream for you.” _

_ Chat Noir licks his lips, eager to savor the taste of the strawberry with black chocolate chips he loves so much and which always so delicately intoxicates his taste buds. His stomach gurgles to join in with his thoughts and it doesn't escape his partner.  _

_ "Always so greedy, my kitty."  _

_ "It's not my fault if the Strawberry with Black Chocolate Chips is so delicious and irresistible."  _

_ He casts a sparkling, mischievous look on her and details her up and down with a smirk. She feels herself blushing under her mask and returns her attention to André, who is getting down to preparing the first ice cream.  _

_ "A scoop of rose sorbet for her grandiose creativity, blackberries for her hair, and blueberry ice-cream just like her sky blue stare." _

_ Chat Noir grabs the ice cream from André and is disappointed not to find his favorite taste again; the one that characterizes his ladybug partner.  _

_ The ice cream parlor gives him a confident wink and Ladybug chuckles at the childish expression on her partner's face.  _

_ She stops laughing instantly when she details the ice cream he is holding in his hand, and discovers that this is a composition perfectly representing her civil alter ego. The young girl is tense, understanding that André is about to serve her an ice cream in the colors of Chat Noir without the mask.  _

_ "A scoop of passionfruit sorbet for her deeply good heart, peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes."  _

_ Ladybug details her ice cream in amazement before glancing at André.  _

_ "Don't look at me like that young girl. I know that these three tastes are at least original and not very complementary. But what inspires me, the young man who is your partner is very… complex and… contradictory. " _

_ In these last words, André suddenly disappears in a cloud of smoke; taking his trailer with him and leaving behind the wooden hut, such as the two heroes had discovered it the first night.  _

_ "Do you think André will remember that?"  _

_ "Honestly, I don't know."  _

* * *

Adrien was rudely awakened by the alarm on his phone, his stomach growling and the taste of blueberries teasing his mouth. __

"I couldn't finish my ice cream!" He protested with exasperation and disappointment.


	4. 6th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have a good reading.  
> Leave a comment if you like the story.

**_The third step to our Destiny:_ **

It was Saturday morning, it was 8am and Marinette was still sleeping. Well almost. Watching her, lying peacefully in her bed, her eyelids closed and breathing slowly, you could definitely tell she was sleeping. However, this was not the case: because in her sleep, Ladybug, and therefore obviously Marinette, lived her own adventures. 

Adventures that made her live a second day at night, a sleep where she was active and the main actress of her dreams. Which was exhausting. The previous three days, Marinette had gotten out of bed even more tired than going to bed. One thing was certain, this morning would be no exception.

Well, she could still sleep in once out of this magical dream, maybe even an afternoon nap, if her parents did not need help at the bakery. 

The young girl slowly opened her eyes a little later, running her tongue delicately over her lips and wincing slightly. 

"Marinette, are you okay? You're making a weird face", Tikki asked her.. 

"I’m okay, I'm just a little tired, and I have .. I still have the passion fruit and mint in my mouth, and .. the taste is .. disconcerting .. not bad .. but particular .." 

"Are you confused by André's tastes and what he said about Chat Noir?" 

"It's not so much the taste, after all: I know that Chat Noir's alter-ego has blond hair and I also know, since he put on the MisterBug costume, that he has green eyes. And the goodness of his heart is the last thing I would doubt. What puzzles me is what he said: " _ complex and contradictory" _ , as if André wanted to tell me that Chat Noir is quite different without his mask. "

* * *

Adrien took a quick glance at his schedule. For once, it was fairly light, much to the young man's joy.

_ Maybe I can find André's location today and go for an ice cream after the photoshoot scheduled for this afternoon? I could even give the Gorilla one: it's so nice to give me some freedom when I'm not supposed to. I must give him one, I'm sure he'll be happy. _

As he had expected, Adrien had a little time after the end of his photo shoot and was able to ask the Gorilla to lead him to the  _ Glacier _ stand. Once in the car, he glanced at his phone and quickly located the location of André's trailer, just a few minutes from the park:  _ Place du Trocadéro _ . 

"Good afternoon André!" exclaimed Adrien with a smile. 

"Hello young man, what can I serve you today?" 

"Two ice creams, please. One for my bodyguard, and one for me." 

"Very good, tell me, is it the big man that I see over there, next to your car?" asked the ice cream parlor. 

"Yes, It's him." 

"Perfect, consider it done !" 

André watched Adrien's bodyguard for a few moments then began to compose his ice cream.

"Chocolate for her heart softer than it seems, wild violet and red fruits for her hair as explosive as her personality." 

Adrien looked at the cone, a surprised but sweet smile on his lips. He had just figured out who the woman André had described for his bodyguard was. And he had to admit that he quite agreed with him. Nathalie and his father had characters too similar, even if they seemed to have come closer, he knew that they were not made to be together. But with the Gorilla…

"The same as usual for you?" Asked André. 

"You are the chief, Sir, I leave it to your judgment and your experience", Adrien replied happily.

"Mmh, I have no more strawberries with black chocolate chips. On the other hand, I may have another taste that could perfectly match your sweetheart." André grabbed his ice cream portioner and put three scoops of ice cream in a cone; "A scoop of rose sorbet for its beauty and lightness, but also for its determined character and temerity. Just like the Rose, your dear and tender had thorns, young boy. Then, blackberries for her hair, and blueberry ice-cream just like her sky blue stare.. "

Smiling, Adrien took the cone that André handed him. He greeted him, joined the Gorilla in the car and handed him his ice cream. The latter thanked him in his silent way and Adrien went back to sit in the back. Finally alone, he hastened to gently put his tongue on his scoop of rose sorbet to lick it. He then closed his eyes to get drunk on the sweet taste. In the end, the scent was so special, unique and delicious that he thought to himself that it could, without a doubt, become his favorite very quickly.

* * *

_ The cabin is immersed in a soft and serene atmosphere. _

_ The fire crackles and dances in the chimney, the sofa has disappeared and in its place there are blankets and cushions laid out on the floor, right at the foot of the wood fire. _

_ In a corner of the shelter, there is an old gramophone which plays a delicate melody whose notes rise in the room giving it a romantic atmosphere. _

_ As quietly and quietly as possible, Ladybug walks towards the mountain of blankets in which her partner is already comfortably snuggled up.  _

_ He is asleep and the heroine hesitates for a moment to join him. She quickly feels that her reason is abandoning her and that a supernatural force pushes her to follow her heart. _

_ Very slowly, she slips behind her partner's back. She puts an arm around his chest and snuggles into him. Chat Noir Half-asleep jumps in surprise at the sudden sensation of a hot body pressed against him. _

_ "It’s just me." She whispers in the hollow of his ear. _

_ Its whisper is a warm breath that caresses the skin of the feline.  _

_ Their embrace is warm. Warm, reassuring and comfortable She is so well installed against him that the young girl does not regret having yielded to what her heart demanded so intensely.  _

_ The eyelids of the heroine become heavy and she feels herself falling in turn into the arms of Morpheus. The background music changes then suddenly. The new melody that rises in the air is now punctuated by words. _

_ When she realizes that the song is not played at random, she blinks several times, to fight against sleep and be able to understand what the melody is saying. She knows that behind the words there is a message. A message that catches her attention. _

_ Her partner wags one of his feline ears: he too is captivated by the words he hears.  _

_ Now fully awake, Chat Noir turns around in his partner's arms to see her face. As soon as he turns around, he is caught by the intense cerulean blue of her gaze.  _

_ "... You need some Time to be alone _

_ then you will find what you've always known _

_ I'm the one who really love you, baby _

_ I've been knockin' at your door _

_ and as long as I'm livin',  _ _ I'll be waitin' _

_ as long as I'm breathin',  _ _ I'll be there _

_ whenever you call me,  _ _ I'll be waitin' _

_ whenever you need me,  _ _ I'll be there _

_ I've seen you cry into the night _

_ I feel your pain, Can I make it right? _

_ I realize there's no end in sight _

_ yet still I Wait for you to see the light _

_ I'm the one who really loves you, baby _

_ I can't take it anymore _

_ and as long as I'm livin',  _ _ I'll be waitin' _

_ as long as I'm breathin',  _ _ I'll be there _

_ whenever you call me,  _ _ I'll be waitin' _

_ whenever you need me,  _ _ I'll be there _

_ You are the only one I've ever known _

_ that makes me feel this way, couldn't on my own _

_ I wanna be with you until we're old _

_ you've got the love you need right in front of you, please come home _

_ as long as I'm livin', _ _I'l_ _l be waitin'_

_ as long as I'm breathin', I _ _'ll be there_

_ whenever you call me,  _ _ I'll be waitin' _

_ whenever you need me,  _ _ I'll be there... " _

_ Chat Noir replaces a rebellious hair behind his partner's ear, and delictly places a kiss between her forehead and the beginning of her hair.  _

_ "My Lady, I will be waiting for you a lifetime if it means that we can be together. Take all the time you need, I’ll be always there, I love you."  _

* * *

When she opened her eyes, her heart was pounding in her chest, as if trying to escape. The words of her feline partner echoed in her mind.

" Chat Noir said he loved me! He really told me, didn't he Tikki? Without detour, without pun or implication!" exclaimed Marinette out loud. 

**_to be continued ..._ ** __


	5. 7th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good reading :)

**_The fourth step to our Destiny:_ **

When Marinette opened her eyes, her heart was pounding in her chest, as if trying to escape. The words of her feline partner echoed in her mind.

"Chat Noir said he loved me! He really told me, didn't he Tikki? Without detour, without pun or implication!" exclaimed Marinette out loud. 

"Yes, he said it, Tikki replied cheerfully. And, you seem to take it relatively well, for someone who didn't want to believe in her _Destiny_." 

Tikki's eyes twinkled with amusement and happiness and Marinette brazenly stuck her tongue out at her. 

If she didn't want to respond to her last remark, it was because she knew the little Ladybug was right: yes, she had feelings for Chat Noir. It wasn't anything new. The novelty lay in the fact that she was finally starting to realize it and admit it… To hear the feline say these three words to her, in such an intense and sincere way, had completely upset and moved her: it had the effect of a real cataclysm on her.

However, if Marinette was finally ready to hear and accept the feelings her partner had on her, as well as accept that she could return them to him, she still didn't feel ready to let go of the mask. It still made her feel protected and confident. Part of her was still afraid that he would love her no longer if he found out that she was none other than the simple and awkward Marinette.

_ Step after step, Marinette, there's no point in rushing. Chat Noir respects you and will wait until you are ready,  _ she encourages herself mentally _.  _

Marinette finally got up to go take a shower. While the hot water fell on her, she found herself humming several times, the song she had heard a few hours earlier in the cabin. A music that took on a special meaning for her. 

She spent the whole day helping her Father at the bakery. Letting her thoughts wander between her partner's declaration and her own feelings towards him, while thinking of what the future might well hold in store for her. To those secrets belonging to the future that she might discover much faster than she could imagine. 

Before going to bed, and after having spent the day thinking about this famous destiny that was taking place. She realized that she was finally ready to discover, with a little help of the miraculous magic, what Destiny had in store for her and her partner. 

* * *

_ Chat Noir extends his stick and hoists himself much higher than most of the fir trees in this forest.  _

_ "Do you see something ?"  _

_ "Nothing at all, m’Lady. The thick branches of the pines hide all the ground. On the other hand, I have the impression that we are progressing in the wrong direction, the noise is behind us."  _

_ Ladybug and Chat Noir turn around. They are in pursuit of the whistle they have heard echoing in the fir forest for nearly half an hour.  _

_ Chat Noir jumps from branch to branch as Ladybug follows her pace. Sometimes running on the path below, sometimes throwing your yo-yo to swing from one branch to another when the path becomes impassable on the ground.  _

_ "This hiss is going to pierce my eardrums! My feline ears are sensitive!"  _

_ “Think positive, Kitty: it means that we are getting closer to the origin of the noise! " _

_ "I see light, it looks like our cabin! The whistle seems to come from there. " _

_ A few moments later, they both jump up and simultaneously land in front of the shelter made of wooden planks.  _

_ The feline stands back a little and puts his hands on his cat ears, which are so sensitive. at the high-pitched hiss he couldn't stand it any longer.  _

_ Ladybug walks over to the cabin door and puts a hand on the doorknob. She pushes it open and instantly, the whistle finally stops. When she finds out the origin of the hissing sound, her heart seems to stop in turn. She is surprised and upset, so much so that she remains frozen at the entrance of the hut, without daring to enter. _

_ Chat Noir is a little stunned by the tinnitus echoing in his skull. However, being worried by the immobility of his partner, he joined her quickly.  _

_ When he arrives at his side, he saw that inside the shelter, an old man was waiting for them. Immediately, he understands her reaction. Gently, he takes her hand between his to reassure her.  _

_ "It's just a dream, my Lady. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by a billion questions and regrets. It's not real. Well, except for both of us."  _

_ She shakes her hand and smiles at him with recognition. Together, they enter the cabin which has, once again, completely changed its appearance and atmosphere.  _

_ Now the shelter is a perfect replica of the cabinet of massages and Chinese medicine of Master Fu. The old man in the Hawaiian shirt sits cross-legged on a futon, a kettle in his hand and three empty cups in front of him. He seems to have been waiting for them for a while.  _

_ "Ladybug, Chat Noir, I'm glad you heard my call."  _

_ The old Master points to his kettle, which only whistles very weakly, to echo his words. "Mint tea?"  _

_ The two heroes nod and find themselves a moment later with a hot, fragrant cup of tea in their hands. They sip their tea while taking their place on the straw mattresses installed in front of Wang Fu.  _

_ "I'm going to get right to the point, young heroes: the water is boiling, the time to dip the noodles in is near. Close your eyes, please."  _

_ Ladybug and Chat Noir give each other a last look before they submit at the request of the former guardian.  _

_ "Before you can see again, you have to learn to open your eyes."  _

_ The two heroes frown in incomprehension, still keeping their eyelids closed.  _

_ "Under the mask, you are much closer to each other than you think."  _

_ He pauses during which his two interlocutors remain suspended to his lips. _

_ "If Ladybug and Chat Noir have opposing personalities that complement each other perfectly. Know that your civilian alter-egos are endowed with this same particularity. Together You are both the perfect balance. She is the one to bring you a breath of freedom and fills the lack of affection that you suffer from. The one that breaks down the walls that have been erected for too long and that help you to be yourself.  _

_ And He is the one who is able to restore your self-confidence and appease by its gentleness, your anxieties and your uncertainties. The one who brings out the best of yourself, your happiness, your creativity and your temerity. " _

_ The two heroes dare neither move nor speak.  _

_ "I'm going to ask you to let go of your transformations. I would like you to use your other senses, so that you can discover and perceive yourself beyond your masks."  _

_ Chat Noir silently grabs Ladybug's hand. She exerts a gentle pressure on it in return. By this gesture, they know each other, that they agree and that they are both ready. _

_ "Claws in / Spots off. "  _

_ Marinette and Adrien keep their eyes closed and seem to doesn't know what to do.  _

_ "Use your hands to touch your partner's face, then let your senses guide you." _

_ Marinette bites her lip and the young man feels his partner tremble slightly.  _

_"My Lady, I don't wanna touch you though_ _you do not agree to it. I… "_

_ He pauses when she squeezes his hand and starts moving it with hers.  _

_ She brings the boy's hand she still holds in hers to her own face. Giving him permission to run through it with his fingers.  _

_ Delicately, he traces an invisible outline with his thumb where her mask usually rests. She shivers at the contact of his bare skin against hers and his caress infinitely soft and tender.  _

_ In turn, she poses a hand on his cheek, drawing also, slowly, the location of the black cat mask.  _

_ Soon, both of their hands are on each other's face and learn about each part and each features of it.  _

_ Adrien goes a little further and drops his hands on the girl's shoulders. She is wearing a tank top as pajama top and her arms are bare. She shivers again and he realizes that her skin is very cold and that she has goosebumps.  _

_ "You're frozen, Bugaboo! Come here. "  _

_ He suddenly pulls her to his chest and hugs her strongly. He strokes her back vigorously, and soon the friction brings her some warmth.  _

_ Marinette lets her hands run gently down the young man's arms. They are thin, but firm and muscular. His skin is warm and soft. An uncontrollable shiver runs through him, in response to the light caresses she exerts.  _

_ He lowers his head and buries his nose in her hair, completely drunk by the scent of orange blossom emanating from her hair. The smell is sweeter and more subtle than what he usually detects with his feline smell. But there, he is close enough to smell it without difficulty.  _

_ "I love your shampoo."  _

_ "I love your fragrance ." _

_ They let out a small laugh because they spoke in perfect sync _ **_._ **

_ The fragrance is familiar to her. She's certain to have ever felt somewhere but can not remember where or when. And his voice .... His voice sounds a little different without the transformation. Maybe she hears it differently because the miraculous magic that blurs their identities is totally dispelled. She is absolutely certain that she recognizes also the sound of his voice, just like the smell of his perfume. What did Master Fu say already? That they were close even under the masks !? She's so confused: it's like she's hearing it everyday and at the same time hearing it for the first time. But who does this familiar voice that disturbs her senses belong to?  _

_ By the way, the boy is in the grip of the same reflection and the same torments as his partner.  _

_ Gently, he runs his fingers through her hair and removes the elastics that hold them in two pigtails. He feels her hair cascading instantly over her shoulders and he takes the opportunity to plunge his fingers in to play with her silky hair. While continuing to wrap strands around his fingers, he slowly leans in and places a tender kiss on her forehead. Then a second and a third. He keeps his face buried there and gets drunk with all the sensations that run through him. If he could, he would stay there for eternity: the woman he loves in the crook of his arms, sprinkling a multitude of kisses on her soft hair, until he ends up losing count of it.  _

_ In front of them, even if they cannot see him, the old man seems satisfied: a sweet smile floats on his face as he watches his two chosen huddle together. The next moment, he disappears in a cloud of mist. _

**_To be continued…_ **

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

_**The fifth step to our Destiny**_ :

Adrien suddenly felt something hardly hit his desk. The shock was immediately followed by a cry, which made him jump. Quickly, he looked up at his azure-eyed classmate.

"Are you okay Marinette? He worried when he saw her massaging her hip."

"Yes, I ... I'm fine .. Not a lot of sleep.. I'm not asleep yet .. Ugh I mean I .. I .. am not yet well awake…"

Adrien smiled at her with his _Marinette special smile_ : the one with lips stretched to the ears and with the look of a lovesick kitten.

How he could understand the state of fatigue of his friend this morning: he himself was completely exhausted! The sound of the impact of Marinette's hip banging against his desk had brought him suddenly out of a semi-sleep state.

He had spent a very pleasant and rather productive night. An entire night during which he had discussed everything and nothing with his partner, while hugging her in his arms and stroking her hair. They had been so close that night that he could almost still smell the scent of her shampoo tickling his nose.

However, as wonderful his night was, he now had to admit that he was falling from fatigue: daily lack of sleep was starting to take over him, while classes had not even started yet. It was going to be a long day. A Very long day.

He did his best, with Nino's precious support, not to fall asleep on his desk during the morning. He was so exhausted that he didn't notice that, behind him, Marinette was struggling against the same intense fatigue with the help, no less essential, of Alya who shook her from time to time.

* * *

Adrien walked to his car, ready to get back home to have lunch, when a weight hit his shoulder and his right arm.

Next to him, Marinette had just missed the last step of the stairs.

As he watched his classmate lose her balance, Adrien quickly turned to her. He grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him, in a protective reflex, allowing her to avoid a painful fall. Marinette crushed her hands flat on his chest, causing him to take a step back from the impact and stifle a small gasp of pain. At least he had managed to make a bulwark between her and the ground, and neither of them had fallen.

The girl sat up quickly, her hair whipping the air in the movement.

The next moment, Adrien's smell was suddenly caught by a scent that mixed subtly with the surrounding air. A familiar sweet fragrance of orange blossom and almond that briefly took his breath away.

"A .. Adrien .. It's okay now .. t .. thank you."

The blonde shook his head and found that his hands were still gripping his friend's waist tightly. He blushed and looked up at her to realize that she was as embarrassed as he was.

He withdrew his hands at full speed, as if they had just been scorched by fire. The sudden loss of the firm support she was enjoying made Marinette tilt slightly forward which found herself held back by Adrien again. This time he had placed his hands delicately on the top of her arms.

"Are you sure you're okay Marinette?" He asked, worried that his classemate's awkwardness was even more exacerbated than usual.

"Yes .. Yes .. Just a little fatigue.." She replied with a shiver.

Under his hands, he could feel the cold emanating from the girl through her clothes. She had probably forgotten to put on a jacket and the temperature outside was barely of 41F° (5C°)

"You're frozen, Marinette! Come here."

She let off a gasp of amazement at hearing Adrien's words. Words that echoed perfectly those of Chat Noir's the day before, when he had noticed his partner was cold.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt the boy's warm fingers intertwined with hers, as he pulled her towards his car. He opened the door and invited her to come on board. She did so without complaint and Adrien followed her in the vehicle, asking his driver to stop by the _Boulangerie Dupain-Cheng_.

Adrien spent lunch, as well as the rest of the day, lost in his thought. His brain could not help trying to make connections between the perception he had of his partner the day before and between what he had just felt being in contact with Marinette.

When it was time to go to bed, he lost himself again in the memories of his olfactory memory : both those he had with his Lady, as well as those with his classmate. He was confused 

* * *

_To his surprise, Chat Noir feels a cold wind slapping his cheeks and ruffling his hair. He opens his eyes and looks all around him, his 5 senses awake._ _The "Noroît" typical wind from Northeast, stirres the fir trees, carrying up to his nostrils the scent of resin and wood. Sweet scents of nature that tickle his nose in a pleasant and soothing way._

_The forest is damp and dark, so much so that without his increased feline vision, he's not certain that he could have seen anything among the towering fir trees._

_In front of him there's the wooden cabin, which he instantly recognizes. He puts his hand on the doorknob of the front door before coming to a stop: he sees through the window, inside the shelter, two figures._

_His gaze falls first on Marinette, or, to be more exact, on Multimouse. Chat Noir frowns in surprise: why is her friend wearing the Mouse's Miraculous again? Hadn't Ladybug told her she wouldn't give her again?_

_Chat Noir turns to the second figure and his frown deepens: in front of her there's another Multimouse, or almost. This one also carries the Miraculous of the Fox, but in unification. MultiFox? MouseFox or FoxMouse? Nevermind her name, all he knows is that he's confused about what he's seeing. He also doesn't see any sign of his partner around._

_In the chalet, the two teenage girls look at each other silently for a little while, then one of them starts to move: The one who carries two Miraculous. She grabs the flute which is strapped to her back and, in one movement, waves it, saying the word: "Reality"._

_Multimouse instantly disappears in a hazy orange cloud, leaving in place a dozen copies, in scale models, of Multimouse. Chat Noir, who still watches the scene from outside the cabin, is increasingly confused and perplexed._

_The next instant, he heard more words passed the heroine's lips and reached his feline ears, with increased hearing: "Mullo, Trixx, divide."_

_Before his eyes, the unification falls to make room again for Multimouse. Then, she approaches her double miniatures and, under the astonished eyes of the feline, they merge into her. Once again, the voice of the holder of Miraculous is heard: "Mullo, divide."_

_In the hut, lit by the simple glow of the wood fire, Multimouse disappears, leaving behind only one silhouette, so familiar: that of her partner wearing a multitude of Miraculous jewels. Ladybug._

_Chat Noir replayed dozens of times in his head the scene he had just witnessed. Suddenly he is struck by the realization._

* * *

Adrien opened his eyes and sat-up suddenly in his bed:

"Ladybug lied to me!" He cried, the realization striking him like lightning: it was an illusion!

_**To be continued...** _


	7. 9th February

_**The** **6th step to our Destiny**_ :

"What happened, Tikki? Why do I wake up without having seen Chat Noir? Do you think he saw all that !?" The young woman asked, sitting up in bed, a worried look dulling her features.

"I don't know, Marinette, how are you feeling?"

"Exhausted, just like the time I made a lot of unifications," Marinette replied in a trembling voice. "I had absolutely no control over what I was doing and saying in the cabin that night. It's like I was a prisoner of my own body and a spectator of my own puppet show."

"So It's sure, you were inside your bubble, since you keep the backlash, which means that Chat Noir must also be present." Tikki replied

"I think he was outside the cabin… Tikki, it's a disaster: Chat Noir will come closer to my identity. He will also understand that I kept things from him during this fight. He will never forgive me…"

"Marinette, I already told you: it is your _Destiny_. You have to find out your identities. If you had this dream, it is very likely that Chat Noir already suspects you of being Ladybug. Or, at least, he suspects you enough that it's necessary for the truth to be established about this memory. This memory precisely had to be a barrier to his understanding of your identity, so he had to know what really happened that day. He will not be long in understanding who you are, if he does not already know it. It all depends on its capacity for resilience."

Marinette sighed and let herself fall back on her mattress:

"I don't know if I'm really ready, Tikki… What if he doesn't like "Me Marinette"? What if he's disappointed to find out it's me Ladybug?"She exclaimed with sadness.

"Marinette, with or without the mask, you are Ladybug. Ladybug is also you, she is part of you. You are two sides of the same person. The mask allowed you to gain confidence, confidence in yourself. It brought you nothing more than what you already have. The mask only helped you reveal who you really are. I'm sure Chat Noir loves you for who you are, for your heart and not for your mask. And I am convinced that he has already loved Marinette for a long time, without even realizing it." Tikki replied gently.

"So it's true, he knows Marinette really well? We're actually closer than we thought, aren't we?"

"Yes and I think you have a little idea of who is hiding under Chat Noir's mask. Am I wrong, Marinette?" asked the kwami.

"I .. I'm afraid, Tikki .. I'm afraid of making a mistake. I hope so much it's Adrien. I _want_ him to be Adrien… All the clues lead me back to him. And at the same time, I'm afraid of being blinded by my heart's desires and being on the wrong track. What if it wasn't him? Chat Noir doesn't deserve this ... I'm confused and anxious. I need to put my thoughts in order. Maybe the next few nights will bring me some information that will help me see things more clearly. This is all I can hope for since I have no control over it." Marinette sighed while tying her hair to go to school: she would have liked for once everything was easier.

* * *

Marinette closed her locker and jumped, uttering a cry of surprise. Behind the door was a boy with piercing green eyes watching her intently.

"H..hi M..Marinette", the blond stammered slightly.

"Bye! Ugh.. I mean Hi ! Drien ... Adrien! You .. You scared me!"She replied discouraged by her inability to make an intelligible sentence in front of him, especially when he surprised her like that.

Marinette suddenly saw Adrien approach her from a shockingly close distance: his nose is barely a few inches from hers.

_Did this boy have any notion of what "personal space" meant?_

_Was he at least aware that he was so close to her that she almost forgot how to breathe_?

"Me? I scared you ? Really ? But, let's see Marinette, I wouldn't even scare a mouse." He replied, a smirk on his face.

"Hiii"; Marinette stifled a squeal worthy of a mouse, mentally slapping herself in the process.

If Adrien was Chat Noir, she had just reacted exactly as he would have liked. What the mischievous smile on the young boy's face seemed to confirm.

A silence settled between the two friends and Marinette felt herself blush under Adrien's intense and insistent gaze, who remained mute in front of her.

She had the feeling that her friend was looking at every part of her face for something. One detail, one answer.

She swallowed hard and thanked the bell that had suddenly sounded to announce the start of class.

"Hiii, it looks like the cat and the mouse have to go… Er I mean… We better go as rapidly as a mouse .." "Oh my god, Marinette you doing that bad", she whispered for her " "Let's go!" She finally exclaimed. She hurried out of the locker room without looking back and did not see the smirk that was displayed on the face of the boy who was following her.

This boy would cause her death. It was sure. But could there be a sweeter and more wonderful way to die than under the flirtation of Adrien Agreste?

* * *

Ladybug was seated on top of the Eiffel Tower. Her legs balancing in the air and her gaze was lost in the play of lights below. She took a few minutes for herself, before starting her solo patrol.

Without knowing it, behind her, a cat as quiet and unobtrusive as the animal whose name he wore, approached her and, slowly, he crouched just behind his back.

"Good evening Ladybug," he whispered in her ear, causing her to jump and cry in surprise.

"Chat Noir! " She cried, turning to face her assailant.

She wanted to add something to yell at him, but the words died on the edge of her lips when she realized how her partner had called her: " _Ladybug_ " Not my Lady, not Bugaboo. Just Ladybug. So it was serious. Well, very serious judging by his posture: his back straight, arms crossed over his chest and lips pursed. The heroine even saw the belt that served him as a tail sweep the floor behind him in a nervous and impatient movement.

"Good evening" She finally swallowed after long seconds of silence.

A few more seconds passed without Chat Noir answering, but he didn't take his eyes off his partner. It was as if he was trying to gain the upper hand, planting his two feline eyes uncomfortably into Ladybug's azure blue eyes and waiting for her to look away in surrender.

_Emeralds versus Sapphires._

_Grass against Bluebell_

_The green of the plains against the blue of the sky._

Ladybug finally admitted defeat and looked down at her feet. She took a deep breath and then launched herself.

"I'm sorry I hid this from you.", she whispered.

"Why?" Was Chat Noir's only response.

"I panicked: The super villain was holding our kwamis. I went to see Master Fû and I took all the Miraculous from the Miracle Box. I used the Mouse Miraculous to multiply myself. Then I made several unifications and…" Ladybug spelled out her words one after the other, without even thinking of breathing, then suddenly, Chat Noir interrupted her:

"I don't see the connection with Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Ladybug swallowed hard. _Tikki was right: Chat Noir is on the right track._

"Multimouse it was me." She declared.

_At least that wasn't a lie, it was even a small part of the truth_

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you use an illusion of Marinette ? Why did you choose her?"

_To cover things up and get you away from my secret identity for good._

This is what she should say to be completely honest with him. But she didn't feel ready yet. Yes _Destiny_ had decided to get involved. Yes, she had agreed to follow it. However, the shadows of her fears, her doubts, and of a certain white monster hovered in her heart. That was as if a sword of Damocles was still hanging over her head. She needed a little more time.

"I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Chat Noir: I can't give you that explanation yet. I'm sorry."

Chat Noir didn't let it show, but she knew he wasn't satisfied with her answers, which he must find too vague and haphazard. Ladybug knew Marinette always had to be at the top of his list to compete for the Ladybug title. She couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. However, she had decided not to tell him any more lies to protect her identity. If she were to enter into a relationship with Chat Noir, it would be on strong basis, where honesty was of the utmost importance.

She took advantage of her partner's presence to invite him to patrol with her. That way she could get home faster, and Chat Noir too.

She thought the feline hero seemed quite tired, and to tell the truth, she too was tired from her nights of half-sleep.

* * *

_Once again, Ladybug finds herself alone in the cabin. It's cold there. The fire which still danced in the old chimney the night before is extinguished. It's also darker than the day before: now the only light illuminating the shelter is that of the Moon, whose rays penetrate weakly through the two small windows of the chalet._

_A bad feeling takes hold of her. She walks closer to one of the two windows and notices with dismay that outside, the pine forest is in agony._

_The pine branches are bare, dead, moving like skeletal hands in an icy and invisible wind. The majestic and verdant fir alleys is nothing more than a scene of an apocalyptic film._

_The feeling of terror seizes her. She then looks up to the sky. Up there, the moon is full but it's different: it seems to have been struck by something which has dug a giant and perfectly visible crater there._

_Suddenly, she feels a presence behind her. She turns around and he is there. Not him, Chat Noir, but him, Chat Blanc. Chat Blanc and his icy blue feline eyes, filled with sadness and melancholy staring at her in silence with a creepy smile at the corner of his lips._

_Suddenly, violently, the door of the shelter opens and a draft rushes in. The wind slams against the wooden walls and whistles. It hisses strangely as if whispering something to her. Ladybug focuses on the sound of the wind and realizes that it's actually whispering words to her. "You have to fight your fear."_

_She instantly turns to Chat Blanc who is still motionless. Now an expression split between anger and bitterness can be read on his tormented face._

_She swallows as the white feline begins to walk towards her. Then in a single, slow leap, he jumps on the young heroine. The next second, she finds herself pinned to the ground, Chat Blanc above her, his hands on her earrings, reminding her in every way of a scene she had already experienced._

_A black lightning flashes past Ladybug's face and the next second a white lightning crosses the room. Chat Noir has arrived. Him and his unwavering protective instinct. The instinct who always dominates his actions when it comes to saving Ladybug. He has just thrown Chat Blanc across the room with a single blow of his stick._

" _What is this white monster !?"_

_He reaches out to his partner for her to stand up. She's shaking, he can feel it._

_The feline hero dressed in black swirls his stick and stands guard between the feline dressed in white and his Lady. He is ready to fight._

_Chat Blanc sighs and his Ice blue gaze pierces Chat Noir's Emerald gaze._

_"I don't want to fight against myself."_

_"I am not you."_

_"That's what you believe. Ask her if you don't believe me."_

_The white figure points to Ladybug and the hero in the black mask immediately turns to her._

_She is motionless, she doesn't answer. Her haunted gaze simply travels between the two felines while her legs shake._

_"My Lady? So you're not denying what he's saying? He's me? But how is that possible?"_

_Ladybug closes her eyes. She clenches her fists and takes a deep breath. She draws courage in all her love. for the feline and comes out of the shadow of her partner, advancing with a determined step towards Chat Blanc._

_"I told you that in my eyes you would always be Chat Noir. "_

_" But you don't love me anymore. "_

_" I love you. "_

_" If you love me, tell him everything. Save our love. "_

_A tear rolls down Chat Blanc's mask, and the heroine gently wipes it._

_Chat Noir witnesses the whole scene. His heart is racing and is torn between several emotions: disappointment, sadness, incomprehension, love…_

_"Save us, Marinette." the white cat whispered so that she was the only one to hear him._

_These were the last words of Chat Blanc before a purple butterfly comes out of its bell. Then the feline and the butterfly vanished in a hazy cloud._

" _What are you still hiding from me, Ladybug?"_

_The feline's voice now carries a multitude of emotions: betrayal, disappointment, pain, sadness ..._

_"Forgive me, Chat Noir. I… I'll explain everything to you. "_

_**To be continued…** _


	8. 10th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have all a good reading :)  
> Miraculous kisses

**_The 7th step towards our Destiny:_ **

Adrien got up and went to the bathroom to get ready. But, he hadn't done more than a step, when he felt his body shaking. His legs gave way under him and he leaned back to land on his bed. It had been a long night. Very long. Too long.

He was starting to have trouble keeping up. Sleeping around 3 hours a day was definitely not enough. It was even inhuman. He firmly believed that if he was holding on, it was only because he was living his dreams as Chat Noir. He certainly had a better ability to handle it when he was transformed.

This night was no exception to the rule. Even if he had no idea of the time he stayed in the cabin, he was sure he had been there for a very long time.

That night he had met Chat Blanc. The akumatized version of himself, of Chat Noir. Adrien had to admit that he was rather relieved not to have had to fight him but the memory of the latter made him chill. What could have happened to make him akumatized? What's more, while he was Chat Noir?

Following this meeting, he had a long and painful conversation with Ladybug.

Fortunately, when Chat Blanc had disappeared, the fire, which had been out for hours, had again started to dance in the chimney. It had chased away the cold that had settled in the chalet, thus allowing them to be able to discuss in the heat. The flames had kept the icy memory of this other himself away from them, while bringing them some comfort.

For a long time, his partner had told him all about the former meeting with his white alter-ego, before finally breaking down in tears in his arms.

Out of strength, she finally fell asleep against Chat Noir's chest. It didn't take long for the feline to fall into a deep sleep, too. But which, unfortunately, was much too short.

* * *

Adrien was worried: today one of his classmates was missing. Specifically, the classmate he casually thought was his heroic partner.

If Marinette is really Ladybug, he feared that she was still in shock because of her new meeting with Chat Blanc.

Indeed, Ladybug had confessed to him she had nightmares for many weeks after her fight against the akumatized version of himself. This revelation had deeply broken his heart. He blamed himself for causing her pain, even though it wasn't really him. He blamed himself for not having been able to reassure her earlier, in the same way he had spent very long minutes doing it the day before.

When Miss Bustier had her back turned, the young man hastened to turn to Alya, to ask her if she had any news from Marinette.

"I had her mum on the phone before class started. She warned me Marinette would be absent. She was not feeling well this morning and was quite tired. Her parents sent her back to bed to rest."

"Hem!" Miss Bustier cleared her throat and called the two chattering teenagers to order.

"Sorry Miss, it's my fault. I asked Alya about Marinette."

"Mr. Agreste, it's lovely to worry about your friend, but avoid doing so during my class. It's good this time, because your intentions were good and appreciated. However, I would like to have your full attention directed to my lesson now. I will allow you to message and check in with your classmate during inter-class if you wish."

Adrien apologized once again, nodded, and concentrated on the lesson again. He hoped with all his heart that Marinette would be back to school the next day.

Today was Wednesday, which meant, for most teens, an afternoon of free time. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Adrien, it rarely even was. He had barely had time to eat lunch when his bodyguard was already waiting in the car, ready to drive off. He must take him to the location of another promotional photo shoot for the Gabriel Agreste brand.

* * *

"Adriano! You are particularly distratto this morning!" Protested the photographer.

"Scusa, Giuseppe. Is the session over soon?" Adrien replied, embarrassed to have been caught daydreaming.

"Sì, give me another 5 minuti and then you can go back to sleep."

Adrien raised an eyebrow. To sleep ? If only… Of course, he really wanted to, just to find his Lady. The idea was therefore rather pleasant. Even definitely pleasant! But he knew only too well that it would not be a real restful and invigorating sleep. A sleep which the young boy was beginning to sorely miss. And though he loved his Lady more than anything, the thought of having a night's rest, just one tiny little night, was incredibly tempting.

Yes, Adrien was exhausted. But, if he was distracted, it wasn't really because of his tiredness. If he was distracted, it was because he kept replaying in his mind the events of the previous night.

At first he was really angry with his partner for having hidden the existence of Chat Blanc from him.

After the revelation the night before, he had even felt betrayed and believed Ladybug really didn't trust him. But, as her explanations progressed, his anger had changed to a deep empathy and he finally understood what his partner had sought to do: protect herself and him.

He was nevertheless relieved to finally know the whole truth, although he would have preferred that she confessed to him before. However, given the emotional distress she seemed to have experienced, he definitely couldn't bring himself to blame her: knowing that Chat Blanc had existed without being able to tell him must have been a real burden on her.

They had decided, by mutual agreement, never to mention Chat Blanc again. Which suited Adrien perfectly.

Nevertheless, a last uncertainty had set in his mind because of his meeting with his akumatized alter-ego: his partner had addressed rather surprising words to Chat blanc: _"I told you that for me you would always be Chat Noir. " "I love you."_

Had Ladybug really fallen in love with him, Chat Noir? But what about him, Adrien Agreste?

If Ladybug turned out to be actually his classmate, as he had been thinking for the past few days, would she love Adrien too?

Marinette had sent him rather contradictory signals on this subject. She had even confirmed to him, after the incident of the show filmed at her home with Jagged Stones, that she was not interested in him. Not in a romantic way anyway.

Yet she still stuttered and blushed in his presence. Had she denied the truth? Was she afraid of Adrien's reaction?

This is what he hoped for with all his heart. Because, if Marinette was indeed his Lady, and if she loved him back, then he was the luckiest Chat Noir in the world. Because he, Adrien Agreste, loved her completely. In or outside the suit. This young girl, beautiful, intelligent, altruistic, incredible, had always held an important place in his heart and awakened in him indescribable feelings, which he had never admitted until now.

* * *

_Tonight, Chat Noir arrived before his partner. Arriving near the cabin, he finds in front of the door a young woman of about twenty, dressed in blue and white and with two rabbit ears._

_“Bunnyx ?!”_

_“Of course, what a question Kitty Noir! Do I sound like Bugs Bunny or Roger Rabbit?"_

_"Meowch! You score a point, my bunny. What are you doing there?"_

_"The same as you for now: I am waiting for Minibug."_

_A few minutes later, gracefully and flexibly, Ladybug lands beside her partner, facing their surprise visitor._

_"Good evening Kitty .. and .. Bunnyx ?! What are you doing here ?"_

_"Good evening Minibug. Kitty Noir and me, have been waiting for you for a while."_

_"Sorry, I had some trouble falling asleep tonight. What's going on?"_

_"I'm here to show you something from the future."_

_Chat Noir frowns under his mask. “Are you sure we have the right, my bunny?”_

_"Trust me.”_

_Bunnyx points at the cabin window and Ladybug and Chat Noir step forward to peek through the window._

_" Children? What are they doing here Bunnyx? Are you sure this is what you should show us? Who owns this future?" Ladybug turns to get the answer from the holder of the Rabbit Miraculous, but she has already disappeared._

_" I think they are yours."_

_The sudden statement of Chat Noir draws Ladybug's attention to him._

_"What?"_

_"The little girl’s got your eyes and the boys have the same hair color as you. They also have all three, your wonderful smile, Bugaboo."_

_She looks away from her partner and watches the children. They run, scream and tickle each other, filling the previously silent cabin with bursts of laughter, mirth and happiness, which echo outward. the girl must be around 3 years old. She has blond hair combed into two smaller all round buns and big blue eyes. The two little boys are definitely twins. They seem to have 5 years, maybe 6 years at most. They have black hair with bluish highlights and emerald green eyes. Emeralds that are exceedingly familiar to her._

_"Are your eyes really green, under your mask, Chat Noir?"_

_"Uh..Yes. But, why…"_

_He suddenly pauses because he thinks he understands his partner's train of thought. In turn, he looks away from the girl to look at the three children._

_"Louis! What you’re doing is cat-astrophic, maman is going to be fur-ious”_

_“Yeah, so what? When the cat's away the mice play, Emma.”_

_Ladybug widens her eyes and sighs. "Cat puns and expressions? Definitely, they're your kids."_

_"You have to believe that dogs don't make cats, or in this case, cats don't make dogs, my Lady."_

_A silence settles between them and they continue to watch for a few moments the children playing in the shelter. The feline hero ends up breaking the silence._

_"Do you think these are our childrens?"_

_"Since we must be two to make childrens, I would say, yes. They are OUR childrens, my kitty."_

**_To be continued…_ **

* * *

_I Hope you always enjoying this story. The time past so fast!!! 4 days left before the end of this story..._

_Please, leave a comment if you like my work._

_Miraculous kisses._


	9. 11th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good Reading !

_**The Eighth Step to Our Destiny:** _

It was around 11am when an Akuma attack interrupted class.

Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo line around a lamppost and used it to propel herself out of the Akumatized range. She narrowly avoided one of her projectiles. The next moment, she saw her partner propel himself with his stick and land beside her, dodging a shot as well.

According to the first witnesses whom Ladybug and Chat Noir had questioned upon arriving, the akumatized victim was a nurse. Now she called herself _the Anesthesiologist._

They had no idea what had led to her akumatization, but what they did know was that she was very angry and relatively dangerous.

She fired tiny syringes at all the passers-by who stood in her way. The victims, once touched, immediately fell into a deep sleep.

 _The Anesthesiologist_ threw herself again on the two heroes and Chat Noir jumped up, worthy of the feline whose name he wore, to avoid a syringe. Ladybug took the opportunity to throw herself on the supervillain and attack her.

The akuma was lodged in the silicone pocket watch, which hung in a pocket at her chest. Her costume was a _very_ _cliché_ nurse's outfit, worthy of those worn in the 1950s.

Ladybug sent her yo-yo directly at the pocket watch to try ato knock it out of _the Anesthesiologist's_ pocket. But, unfortunately, this one was quick and she dodged the blow. She took advantage of the time that the heroine took to retract her yo-yo to send a projectile in her direction.

Ignoring possible consequences, Chat Noir, who had witnessed the whole scene, threw himself on Ladybug and pinned her to the ground.

The heroine in the ladybug costume found herself heavily crushed by the weight of her partner. The weight of a body that had collapsed on her without any restraint. The feline hero was lying completely on top of her, motionless and unconscious. The syringe intended for Ladybug had stuck in the back of her neck.

"Chat Noir!" She yelled sadly.

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she extricated herself from her partner's body.

Trembling, she knelt by his side and placed a tender kiss on his forehead.

"I'm sorry, _Minou_. I promise I will fix everything. I will come back, I will not abandon you."

She placed a second kiss on his head and stood up to return to the fight. She had no choice. She had to let him rest there, on the floor of the _Esplanade du Trocadéro_. She was going to have to face the supervillain alone to be able to purify the Akuma and repair the damage she had caused. It was only by defeating the _Anesthesiologist_ thatshe could wake up Chat Noir and all the Parisians affected.

After a few exchanged blows, dozens of projectiles avoided, a Lucky Charm and a cleverly devised plan, Ladybug crushed the nurse's watch under her foot in order to release a purple butterfly which she purified immediately.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Chat Noir was getting up, dazed and confused when, suddenly, Ladybug threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. He instantly closed his arms around her and stroked her back reassuringly.

"I remember being hit but everything is fine now. I'm fine, _Purrincess"_ , he whispered tenderly, which made the heroine flinch.

_Did that sweet nickname come out of the feline hero's mouth by chance?_

_Or had he, finally, put his finger on his identity?_

Chat Noir must have felt his partner jump in his arms because he immediately pulled back to see her face, but didn't let go of their embrace.

Ladybug's big blue eyes scanned his feline eyes intently, searching for an answer, a confession.

"I'm fine," he repeated, resting both of his gloved hands on her cheeks so as to frame her face and locking his gaze deeply with hers.

Ladybug was mesmerized by the closeness and touch of her partner. Totally bewitched by his face which got closer, every second, a little more to hers. The sensation spreading through her whole body was so pleasant that she didn't back down when she felt the feline's hot breath almost brushing her lips.

Nearby, a girl they were unaware of, cleared her throat.

"Hem, am I interrupting something or can I have an interview for the Ladyblog?" Asked the amateur journalist with a smirk.

Chat Noir suddenly withdrew his hands from Ladybug's face, who recoiled, blushing a brighter red than her mask.

"I ... I'm going to transform myself soon ... I'll leave you with Chat Noir! Bug out !" She cried, already disappearing out of sight.

"Sorry Ladyblogger, you will have to do with this _pawsome_ and _purrfect_ , cat." He joked openly to hide his frustration.

* * *

_Something is resting on his legs, it's not really heavy or unpleasant and it's even rather hot. Ladybug slowly emerges from her sleep and opens one eye._

_That thing which, until now of an unknown nature, rests on her thighs is her partner's head. Her partner, peacefully asleep._

_She observes his eyes closed, his chest heaving to the rhythm of his steady breathing, his wild hair spread over her legs. Delicately, she leans down to give him a kiss as light as a feather at the corner of the lips._

_He shivers at her touch and gives her the impression of wanting to repel a mosquito. This image, and this thought, makes her chuckle slightly._

_Again, Ladybug leans in and gives him a second kiss, then a third, still between his cheek and his mouth, just at the birth of his lips. Her fingers slide through his blonde hair and she whispers mischievously in his feline ear._

_"In fairy tales, a single kiss is enough to wake a sleeping boy. How many do you need Chat Noir?"_

_The feline growls weakly and opens his eyes._

_"In fairy tales, the kiss works if it's placed on the lips, and not next to them, that's why a single kiss is enough. And then, in the stories, the main character actually rests in his magical sleep, which is not my case. I have been lacking sleep for several days. you, better than anyone, you should know, m'Lady. It would take a few extra kisses to wake me up completely. Real kisses. "_

_His gaze now sparkles with mischief and a smirk and flirtatious smile stretches his lips._

_"You are right, you look so tired! My poor Kitty… Go back to sleep !"_

_This time, it's she who uses his own weapon against him and answers him playfully._

_He's pouting and Ladybug once again plunges her hand into his hair. Her partner closes his eyes again as she tenderly strokes his feline ears. Suddenly he begins to purr with satisfaction. Surprised, she quickly stops the movement of her hand and he opens his eyes again, moaning slightly._

_"Don't stop."_

_She nods silently, and he closes his eyes as she resumes her caresses. She runs her fingers through his hair, over his ears, then she goes down her hand to trace the outline of his face. As she makes the gesture, her thumb grazes the edge of the feline's mask and something strange happens._

_Once more she stops and he protests._

_"Bugaboo, you are as beautiful as you are cruel! It's torture to stop you all the time!"_

_"Kitty, your mask…"_

_"What's wrong with my mask?"_

_"The part I touched just faded."_

_He suddenly opens his eyes and stands up, putting his hand where his partner had just touched._

_"What ?! How is that possible ?!"_

_"I don't know."_

_Hesitantly, he reaches for his lady's face._

_"Can I try ?"_

_She nods, and with the tip of his thumb, he strokes a small part of his partner's mask, right next to her temple. Under his finger the piece of spandex instantly fades to reveal an alabaster skin. Immediately he withdraws his hand, while in turn, Ladybug retries the experiment. She puts her fingers on Chat Noir's mask and erases a part of it, next to his right eye. His eye remains that of a feline, but it's now almost unmasked on that side of his face._

_She leaves her hand there, without moving, completely motionless. Instinctively, Chat Noir imitates his partner's gesture and puts a hand to her cheek, making sure not to touch her mask, or only slightly._

_Their gazes drown in each other and, unconsciously, they come closer. Their faces are now only a few inches apart._

_Ladybug breaks the silence, her breath stroking Chat Noir's face as she reveals the deepest and most sincere secret of her heart to him._

_"I love you, I want to know. I'm ready."_

_The boy's heart is pounding, it's almost certain that she can hear it as distinctly as she could hear him purr a few minutes before._

_"You already know it but I say it to you once again: I love you, Purrincess. I am ready too."_

_He moves his hand a little higher on her face, brushing the edge of her mask, ready to dissolve it completely._

_"At three ?"_

_"Okay."_

_"One"_

_"Two"_

* * *

Marinette opened her eyes and saw her bedroom.

"No ! Not now !" she yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks.

_**To be continued...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have mercy on me! I know this abrupt end makes you want to kill. I'm sorry, I really had to do this.  
> I hope that this beautiful dream will be able to control your murderous impulses towards me.  
> I promise you this was the last time I'll leave such an unbearable suspense.  
> See you tomorrow for new adventures! Feel free to leave me a little comment, I am looking forward to your opinions.
> 
> Miraculous Kisses!


	10. 12th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have a good reading !

**_The 9th step to our Destiny:_ **

Marinette opened her eyes and saw her room.

“No! Not now !” she yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks.

A voice from the lower floor was then heard, slightly muffled by the thickness of the parquet -

“Marinette, is everything okay?” 

Sabine, who was on the stairs, was worried about the cry that her daughter had just uttered.

“Yes, yes, mom, it's okay. I was simply surprised when my alarm rang.” She replied as calmly as possible, despite the frantic beating of her heart.

“Courage sweetie, it's the last day of the week! Don't be late! Dad made you a bag with some of his new delice. Pistachio croissants! 

“Just for that, I hurry mom!” exclaimed Marinette, coming quickly from her bed

Half an hour later, Marinette left the bakery with the special bag in hand. She crossed the street which separated her from the  _ Collège Françoise-Dupont _ , then took out a hot croissant, which she brought to her mouth with pleasure.

She hurried up the steps leading to the large school door when she felt a hand grip her elbow. 

“Hi Marinette!”

“Hello Ch.. Adrien !”

Marinette mentally slapped herself. Although she was almost certain that the two boys who had captured her heart were, finally, one and the same boy: it was neither the place nor the right time to confirm her doubts. 

Adrien's voice snapped the girl out of her thoughts. 

“Is everything okay, Marinette?”

“Ye.. yes! Everything's fine perfectly ... uh I mean ... perfectly fine! Do you want a croissant? Dad is always afraid that I am starving… Ahah… So, he exaggerates on the quantities he prepares for me. 

She hands him the bag, and Adrien happily accepts the gift she gives him.

“Thank you my.. Marinette.”

The blond hastened to plant his teeth in the croissant, to detach a piece that filled his mouth,preventing him, at the same time, from allowing another revealing slip to escape. 

“Pistachio! It's delicious!” He exclaimed, hurrying to take a second bite. 

Marinette chuckled lightly at the gluttony and childish, amazed expression of her classmate. He apologized for his excessive enthusiasm, while trying to justify himself, then he met his friend's knowing gaze and they both began to laugh heartily.

The next moment Marinette and Adrien walked in, still laughing loudly into the school courtyard, drawing on them the eyes of most of the other students. 

In the distance, Alya suddenly stopped talking to her boyfriend. Her attention turned to the laughter in the courtyard, only to find that it was her two best friends. She raised an eyebrow questioningly, then turned to Nino again, who shrugged in incomprehension. 

Marinette saw the young redhead walk towards them with a determined step. She instantly stopped laughing and swallowed hard at Alya's serious look. 

“Hi Alya”, she exclaimed as happily as possible. 

“Hi guys ! Tell me, you seem very happy this morning ! Can we find out what gets you in this state?”

Meanwhile, Nino, who had joined the small group, held out his fist to Adrien. 

“Hi Dude! So what is funny? “

Against all expectations, and to everyone's surprise, it was Marinette who answered. 

“We were just laughing at Adrien's excessive gluttony. The poor boy was moaning with happiness with the croissant I gave him this morning”, she said, stifling another chuckle. 

“Hey ! I did not moan!” He protested, falsely offended. “Okay I admit it. Maybe I vocalized my satisfaction. But you should try Mister Dupain's new pistachio croissants! They are so good they could make a cat able to talk.”

Marinette chuckled and Adrien grabbed her by the elbow to pull her towards the stairs, under the stunned gaze of their two best friends. Indeed, it was time to join the classroom because the bell was ringing. The boy laughed again with his classmate. 

Alya and Nino, totally confused, followed their two friends up the stairs to enjoy this completely amazing and improbable spectacle. 

_ But what was happening to Marinette this morning?  _

* * *

Marinette sighed in relief : the bell was finally ringing the end of class. Hopefully, if she hurried to put her things away, she could get out of the classroom quickly and avoid being subjected to further questioning of Alya. 

Throughout the day, her best friend had tried, on several occasions, to find out what was going on between her and Adrien. She had stressed regularly, and insistently, the significant decrease in stuttering and blushing in Marinette's behavior with Adrien. She had also tried to embed herself in the hilarious conversation the girl had with Adrien at the end of the lunch break, but, fortunately, the beginning of afternoon classes had barely saved them. Alya had barely had time to ask them why they had laughed so hard again, when Miss Mendeleiev was already urging them to enter the science room. 

Marinette closed her bag and hastened to take it. She was heading for the exit of the classroom, not without giving a smile to Adrien, who returned it even bigger, when she was stopped by a hand resting on her elbow. 

_ Damn !  _

“Not so quickly,  _ Marinette, I'm avoiding having a discussion with my best friend Dupain-Cheng _ : you and me, we have to talk.”

Alya then leaned over to whisper in her ear, so that only she could hear what she was going to say. 

“I know that you are hiding something from me: I can see that  _ Buttercup _ is staring at you right now.”

“What ?!” Marinette cried with a start, before stumbling. The next second, she found herself sprawled on the floor, between the classroom and the hallway. 

"Dupain-Cheng and his two legendary left feet," Chloe muttered, stepping over the classmate she didn't like much. 

“Marinette, are you okay ?!” Alya and Adrien exclaimed in one voice, who had knelt down beside her. 

The girl put a hand on her forehead, then she sat up slowly, grimacing. 

“This time I hit my head” she mumbled through her teeth. 

“I'll take you to the infirmary! Can you get up, Marinette?” Adrien asked worriedly. 

Marinette slowly nodded.

“It's okay, everything's fine. I'm fine. I don't need to go to the infirmary. Thanks, Adrien.”

She stood up cautiously, clutching Adrien's arm so as not to lose her balance, while still holding her aching head. 

“It's not negotiable, Marinette!” replied her friend, in a tone without appeal. 

The two teenagers walked away under the worried looks of their two best friends. 

The corridors emptied very quickly as the last bell of the day had announced the start of the weekend. In just a few minutes, the college was deserted. 

“We can just sit here for a few moments. I assure you that it is not necessary to go to the infirmary.” She said calmly, pointing to the bench not far from them.

Adrien stopped in front of the infirmary door and took a quick look inside. The room was empty: the nurse must have been absent. 

“Okay", he replied, making her sit on the bench. “Are you sure you're okay?” he added, still worried.

“Yes, yes, it's okay, don't worry. I am used to it.”

Adrien chuckled and Marinette looked at him in despondency. 

Of course he was laughing at the awkward Marinette. _ How could he think that a girl with such awkwardness could be the incredible Ladybug?  _ After this stupid fall, he would most certainly question the possibility that they were both the same person. 

He stopped laughing when he noticed that Marinette's features were gradually darkening. 

“Oh, I'm sorry, Marinette! I wasn't making fun of you! I… I just think your clumsiness is adorable. She makes you what you are, Marinette: a unique girl full of surprises.” 

Marinette stifled a gasp of amazement at the boy's confidence, whose cheeks had turned slightly pink. She then gathered all her courage and finally dared to turn to him. Instantly, their eyes met and never left each other. 

His Emerald eyes were shining brightly and she instantly gasped at the exchange.

Being made of the potential impacts, and not even thinking about it, Marinette, mesmerized, approached Adrien and put a hand on his cheek. She could almost see the Cat mask drawing on his face, as he looked at her with great fondness.

_ Adrien? Chat Noir? _

Her thoughts were racing frantically in her head. As frantically as her heart was pounding in her chest right now. She was confused and lost. Lost in her feelings and in the flood of emotions she was feeling. What if she was wrong? What if she was about to make a huge mistake? 

_ Chat Noir? Adrien? _

"I love you", she whispered softly, while gently stroking his cheek and tracing the invisible outline of the mask of her feline partner. 

As soon as the words left her lips, the girl turned as red as her alter-ego's costume. She suddenly tensed and quickly removed her hand from his cheek. 

_ Oh no, Did I really say that out loud?! Did I? Er ... I really said that out loud!!  _

Without a further word, she stood up and fled away. Very far. Far far away. 

She wanted to find her house, her bedroom and her bed. She would then take a pillow and scream in it for hours, until her vocal cords were exhausted. And maybe she would even choke on it to die of asphyxiation, rather than die of shame while making fun of herself, again, in front of Adrien Agreste. 

What Marinette didn't know, and that she didn't see when she disappeared from the establishment without looking back, it was that she left behind a young boy beaming with happiness, a blissful smile on his lips. 

* * *

_ The Sun has set, giving way to night and a moon with silver reflections, full and round.  _

_ One of the moon's rays is reflected in the blond hair of the boy, as she watches through the small window. His two feline green irises are luminescent in the semi-darkness of the cabin and give his eyes a supernatural intensity. His cat ears move on his head: now he knows she is there. _

_ He gets up and his Emerald gaze instantly falls into his partner's Sapphire gaze. Without leaving the hypnotic charm of her two magnificent blue eyes, he moves and approaches the large door to open it.  _

_ "Are you going to stand there and take root or you like to join me inside?"  _

_ She nods and goes into the shelter without a word. _

_ When she walks inside, Ladybug hears soft music rising in the air. _

_ Attracted like a magnet, and not taking her eyes off him, Ladybug approaches him. At the same time, the feline also takes a step forward in the direction of his partner. _

_ For a moment, they remain silent, captivated only by the presence of the other and transported by the melody that cradles their ears.  _

_ “Would my Lady do me the honor of offering me this dance?” _

_ Chat Noir takes a step back, bows and gallantly offers his hand to the one who makes his heart beat. A hand she grabbed without hesitation, before sliding her fingers between his. _

_ He puts an arm behind her, puts his hand on the middle of her back, and then lifts their entwined hands up to shoulder height. Slowly, they let themselves be carried away by the slow rhythm of the music. _

_ After a few dance steps, Ladybug lets her hand slip out of her partner's. Instantly, she travels her arms to the back of his neck and hugs him, pulling the feline closer to her. Chat Noir then lets his free hand run behind her back and takes the opportunity to encircle the waist of his partner to reduce the space that still separates them from the perfect embrace.  _

_ She buries her head in the feline's shoulder and he rests his head on hers, both continuing to move slowly, guided by the melody.  _

_ As they both enjoy this pleasant and heartwarming dance, the cabin is suddenly illuminated by a vivid pink glow, immediately followed by a green glow.  _

_ The transformation of the two heroes wears off and they instinctively tighten their embrace. They're just enjoying the last moment just a little longer before their identities are finally revealed.  _

_ The next moment the music ends. The girl's legs are shaking and the boy is holding his sucking his breath in. Slowly the two teenagers raise their heads to finally reveal themselves... _

_ "Marinette .." _

_ "Adrien .." _

  
**_To be continued ..._ **


	11. 13th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> English is not my native language language but I handle it pretty well.
> 
> Sorry if there is a few little mistakes. 
> 
> Good reading.

**_Ladybug and Chat Noir :_ **

Marinette suddenly woke up from her sleep: her heart beating faster than the beating of a ladybug's wings, her cheeks redder than their elytra, and her breath as short as their life on earth.

She put a hand on her heart, feeling her heartbeat pounding vigorously against her palm. With the back of her other hand, she wiped away the tears that rolled from her eyes and furrowed her cheeks. 

"It's Adrien", she whispered at last, releasing the breath she was still holding prisoner. 

The thread stretched between the two boys she loved, and on which she had walked like a tightrope walker for months, was in fact only the common thread connecting the two poles of the same boy. The two sides of himself. The extrovert, facetious, protective, Chat Noir and the introvert, sensitive, altruistic, Adrien. She realized today that everything that seemed to her to be the character of two separate and different beings yesterday was finally just a smockscreen. Extrovert? Adrien was also in his intimate circle of friends. Sensitive? Chat Noir had already proven how much he could be. How could she have been blind for so long?

The little red Kwami, who was sleeping just above her, emerged from her cocoon. She flew slowly to her holder, before offering her the sweetest of looks and the most sincere of smiles. 

Marinette opened the palms of her hands, allowing Tikki to settle down gently, then brought her close to her face. 

"Tikki! You knew about it! Kinky little one!" She gasped, still overcome with emotion.

"Sorry, Marinette", she replied. "But, you're in a good position to know that I couldn't tell you anything, even if I really wanted to reveal Chat Noir's identity to you. Master Fu did not want it, you were not yet ready to face the responsibilities that came with revealing identities. You also know that miraculous magic prevented me from doing so. I am so relieved that the secret is finally out."

Tikki approached her holder's cheek and snuggled up there. 

"You deserve to be happy, Marinette, and Chat Noir too." 

"Chat Noir! I must find Adrien! Now!" 

"Now? But, Marinette, it's five in the morning!" The little Ladybug clarified, surprised. 

"I know, Tikki. But we have already been separated for too long by miraculous magic. I want to make sure that nothing will ever separate us again. Spots on!" 

The next moment, Ladybug was soaring above the streets of Paris, bathed in starlight and immersed in the stillness of the night. 

* * *

" It's her, Plagg! It's Marinette!" Cried Adrien, suddenly sitting up in his bed. 

Plagg, who was curled up on the pillow next door, stretched like a real cat and growled as he emerged from his sleep. 

"Mmh, yes I know." He growled, rounding his back, performing one last feline stretch.

"Of course you know! You have taken me away from the truth several times, when I got too close to it!" Protested Adrien, a little annoyed by the little cat who seemed to be laughing at him with impunity. 

"It was my role to make sure you didn't find out before it was the right time" he replied, simply. "If it makes you happy, you've given me a hard time many times." added the little Kwami before floating to his reserve of Camembert to feed. 

Plagg quickly gulped down a half camembert, which was bigger than him, and burped loudly as he walked towards his holder again. 

Adrien was increasingly annoyed by the nonchalant, provocative and bordering insolent behavior of the little Kwami cat. He was staring at him harshly as he moved around the room. 

"Well from today, your new role will be to make sure that I can always find the girl I love when I want! That is to say: now", he clarified in a sly voice. 

Adrien didn't give the Kwami of Destruction time to protest against the wholly inappropriate time, or even say anything else: he quickly called for his transformation. Immediately, the boy felt the miraculous magic run through his body. It awoke the last muscles that were still asleep and he felt totally awake and in great shape. 

A few minutes later, Chat Noir jumped over the rooftops of Paris towards the home of his beautiful Lady. He used his stick to propel himself further and stronger, in order to reach his destination as quickly as possible. Every minute he still spent away from her seemed like an eternity.

He was surprised when a geolocation notification suddenly made his stick vibrate. It caught his attention and briefly made him look on the gadget's screen. _ Ladybug is in movement?  _

The next moment, without his being able to explain how, he found himself tangled in the yo-yo thread of his charming partner or, rather, tangled  _ with _ his charming partner.

"Hello, Princess. You know, if you missed the warmth of my body so much, you just had to tell me. It's with pleasure that I will offer many additional dances as you wish", he maliciously, pointing at the thread that tied them and kept them against each other. 

"Er, I'm sorry… apologize you, ugh.. sorry you, Damn it! Excuse me !" she stammered quickly and unintelligibly. 

Ladybug closed her eyes so as not to see the object of her torments and fantasies anymore and tried to calm down. Without much success. He was too close. Much too close. Closing her eyes made her realize his closeness even more intensely. She felt his breath caress her face. His sensual fragrance excited her sense of smell and she could even feel his heartbeat hammering briskly against her own chest. All her senses were awake and she felt her body react to all these stimuli: she was hot and the blood rushed to her cheeks, her breathing was irregular and had suddenly accelerated, her brain was more and more anesthetized by the situation. 

"My Lady, are you okay? I think I'm crushing you a bit and your thread isn't helping. Can you relax it, to free us?" he asked, alarmed by his partner's condition. 

Ladybug moved a hand slightly and let out a shrill cry.

_ My hands are locked on Adrien's buttocks. I touch the buttocks of Adrien Agreste!  _

Her face went through several shades of red until it reached a shade so intense, that her costume couldn't even compete. Her breathing, which was once rapid, now became nonexistent. 

Aware of his partner's anxiety, the feline hero tried to reassure and calm her. 

"My L… Marinette, breathe calmly. Can you relax the rope of your yoyo to release the pressure and help you breathe?" 

She shook her head in the negative to answer his request. She took a moment to regain control of her breathing and swallowed hard:

"Yo-yo.. Blocked.. my back.. Retract.. Thread.. " 

Chat Noir slightly moved his right hand which was stuck on his partner's shoulder blade in order to catch the gadget which was hanging a little lower on her back: luckily, it was not too far from his fingers. After a few movements and twists that brought him closer to his Lady, (something he didn't think physically possible as they were already glued to each other) he managed to put his palm on the yo-yo. 

"I'm going to release the pressure a little and retract the rope. Alright, my Lady ?" He continued, raising his head to the heroine.

He had realized that in his trying to reach for her yo-yo, he had come closer to her. But, what he strictly did not expect, raising his head, was to find himself barely a few millimeters from her desirable pink lips. To find himself, caught up by her intense gaze shining with desire. To find himself caught in a whirlwind of powerful and uncontrollable emotions. 

Suddenly, something broke. A wall collapsed. A dam gave way. The two years of waiting and frustration, which had stood between them, like an insurmountable barrier that collapsed suddenly, giving way to feelings that had been held captive for too long. 

He only had to raise his chin a little for his lips to finally come into contact with hers, in a kiss that struck them down and crossed them right through. 

He stifled between his lips, Ladybug's moaning of satisfaction and happiness. The latter let herself be totally carried away by the torrent of sensations, which flowed in her body and in the depths of her soul. 

Chat Noir exerted a little pressure on the heroine's yo-yo and the thread that blocked them retracted to disappear completely. He was barely free when he already wrapped his arms around his partner's waist, to keep her close to him. 

She then moved her own arms to wrap them around the feline's neck, pressing their lips a little harder against each other and intensifying the depth of their kiss. A tender and intense kiss, filled with love. 

They exchanged several long kisses, each more fervent and passionate than the previous one. 

After a long moment, which seemed to them suspended out of time, they separated, breathless, upset but satisfied. 

"Wow," they huffed with one voice, their foreheads resting softly against each other. 

"Are you feeling better now, Bugaboo?" He asked, in a playful voice. 

"Much better, kitty," she replied, blushing again at the memory of the carnal contact that had shaken them both. 

"You went out in the middle of the night just to find me, my Lady? Admit it, you can't do without that purrfect cat, can you? He bragged, giving her a charming and mischievous wink. 

"I think I can say the same thing about you,  _ Minou _ : you too were running on the roofs while the sun is not even up yet" , she replied, smiling tenderly. 

"It's true, he conceded. I missed you too much already and couldn't wait to tell you how much I love you, Marinette", he said, stroking her cheek tenderly.

"Me too, I love you, Adrien", she whispered sincerely in response. "Since the day you gave me your umbrella."

"Really ?! Since all this time ?! But why haven't you told me anything, Marinette? I thought you hated me…" 

Chat Noir paused for just a few seconds before resuming

"Wait a minute .. The other boy? Was it me!?" He exclaimed, completely surprised. 

"It has always been you, kitty. I've tried to tell you a thousand times, but I never succed. I was too scared to break our friendship, and then I was way too clumsy and messy in front of you. A real stuttering disaster", she replied, lowering her head. 

"You are not a disaster, Marinette. I would never let you say that! You are just so adorable when you can't find your words. You blush, then you make those cute little high-pitched sounds while fluttering your eyelashes. I didn't want to admit it then but ... Oh Kwami! I love you so much. You are wonderful, Marinette, never doubt it !" he whispered, lifting her chin to meet her gaze." You are  _ MY _ wonderful Lady,  _ MY _ sweet princess,  _ MY _ stuttering and adorable Marinette", he confessed before kissing her softly again. 

He then pulled her to the edge of the roof, and invited her to sit beside him. He hugged her tenderly. She then rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the closeness and comfort he offered her. 

They sat there close together until dawn. Watching the stars twinkle in the sky, then the sun rise and bathe them with its first rays. In the end, they had to go their separate ways, reluctantly, to find their respective homes. 

They made the promise to see each other every day, whenever Adrien's schedule would allow them, but also every evening, in the privacy of their superhero duty. 

**_To be continued…_ **

  
  



	12. 14th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter... Good Reading Everyone !

**_Marinette & Adrien :_ **

_"We meet our Destiny, often by the paths we take to avoid it."_ _~ Jean De La Fontaine._

It was something that Marinette had learned at her expense. The surreal and surprising conversation she had with Tikki about her Destiny a dozen days ago was now totally realistic and as surprising as ever.

At first she hadn't wanted to believe it, she had even thought that she could try to get around what Destiny had in store for her.

But, that day, when the process of revelation had started, she was far from imagining that she had indeed taken the first step towards her Destiny. This first step, decisive and surprising, which turned out to be the one that would change her life forever. A fortuitous and unexpected upheaval, while being both expected and hoped for. These were the conflicting feelings Marinette had felt since finding out who her partner was.

 _Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste_. Chat Noir was the boy she had fallen in love with, the one who had taken possession of her heart by offering her an umbrella and a sincere smile. The one whose mask she had pierced as a model and obedient boy, to discover a boy aspiring to freedom and joy. He was just asking to be loved and he had become the boy she wanted, and who had haunted her thoughts, for almost two years.

He was the one she had fallen deeply in love with, twice: _fortuitous and unexpected._

 _Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir._ Adrien was her incredible partner. Her feline partner, extroverted, loyal, protective and courageous. He was the one who always stood beside her and who never hesitated to stand between her and danger. The boy she had placed her entire trust in, including, for her own life. He was her best friend before he became more than that. So much more than that in her eyes and in her heart: _fortuitous and unexpected_.

At first glance, Adrien was different from Chat Noir. He was more discreet, more introverted, calmer and, above all, much less boastful. The place the feline was gaining in her heart was growing even more each day. Yet she had found herself over time to hope that these two boys were one. The more that idea had permeated her head, the more she began to find similarities between the two teenagers. Adrien was also brave. Adrien was also loyal and sincere. Adrien was also protective and caring. As for Chat Noir, he too could moderate himself and be attentive, sensitive and phlegmatic. Adrien had finally revealed himself to be Chat Noir, as she had dreamed so much: _hoped and expected._

Yes, Marinette had been swayed and pulled between all kinds of conflicting feelings. Caught between apprehension and hope. Stuck between doubt and uncertainty. But today, she understood, well, exactly why…

Her morning reflection was interrupted by a vibration of her phone. The girl stretched and yawned, before leaning over to reach for the object on her nightstand.

Unsurprisingly, she saw that Adrien had also thought of her when he woke up. A gentle smile stretched her lips as she read the message from her beloved.

_* Happy Valentine's Day, my Princess. I love you. I already miss you. *_

* * *

_* I love you too, my kitty. Happy Valentine day. I can't wait to see you again. *_

A radiant smile stretched across Adrien's lips as he read his girlfriend's response. He put his phone down on his desk then went into the bathroom to take a shower.

He came out of the bathroom, about twenty minutes later, transformed into Chat Noir, and left the Manor, directly through the window.

Gabriel Agreste and his secretary were away for the weekend. They had to make an appearance at a very prestigious London fashion show, to which they had been invited by Audrey Bourgeois. The Mayor's wife had not given the famous Designer the opportunity to refuse.

This absence offered Adrien the possibility of leaving the Manor easily. When his father was away, the Gorilla spent his time reading comics or researching on the internet to buy superhero figurines: limited edition obviously ! It was even too easy for the boy to escape the surveillance of his bodyguard.

Chat Noir only jumped on a few rooftops before dropping loosely into an uncrowded alley. He checked carefully that he was completely out of sight, then whispered the words allowing him to lose his transformation.

He left the alley, and began to whistle cheerfully: today, he was going to surprise his girlfriend!

* * *

"Marinette, you have a visitor!" cried a male voice.

"I'm coming dad!" she replied back.

Tom Dupain looked attentively and surprised at the visitor standing on his doorstep.

The young blond boy had swapped his usual blue jeans for dark gray ones. A black duffle coat and a blue scarf protected him from the cold winter temperatures. He held in one hand a composition of three sumptuous roses: two red and one white. With his other hand, he massaged nervously the back of his neck.

It seemed to him that the young man was about to open his mouth to say something when, at the same time, footsteps were heard on the stairs and then in the hallway downstairs.

Sabine Cheng came up behind her imposing husband and a sweet smile stretched her lips as she stood next to Tom and recognized Adrien.

"Good morning Adrien! It's a real pleasure to see you", said Marinette's mother sincerely, before turning to her.

The young girl was indeed frozen in the stairs when she saw her handsome boyfriend in the doorway.

"Sweetie, do you have something to tell us?" she added mischievously looking at Marinette, her eyes shining with love and tenderness.

Marinette's heart pounded in her chest as she felt the warmth spread over her face.

"It was a surprise: Marinette didn't know that I would come", whispered, as calmly as possible, Adrien, while masking his growing nervousness.

She gave him a grateful smile as she descended the last steps of the stairs to join him.

When she found herself facing him, he greeted her, then gently grabbed one of her hands and brought it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. He then handed her the bouquet of Roses, while savoring the irresistible pinkish color which had just adorned his girlfriend's cheekbones.

"I would like ... If your parents agree, of course" , he clarified with respect, glancing at them. "I would like to take you for a walk along the Seine."

Marinette then turned to her parents, who didn't wait a single extra second to verbalize their agreement, with great enthusiasm.

"With pleasure, Adrien", Marinette breathed, before grabbing something to cover up to face the Parisian freshness.

Sabine and Tom watched the two teenagers walk away. Then the baker turned to his wife with a mischievous smile.

"I bet you he's asking her today to become his girlfriend." he announced in a confident voice.

"And I bet you they're already dating, and they've even kissed." she replied, with certainty.

Tom Dupain chuckled loudly, before realizing his wife's words fully. He froze and swallowed.

"You really think… Oh, my Bread! My darling little girl kissed her first boy!" He cried, turning pale.

"Tom, breathe. She's going to be sixteen, it's normal for our bun to finish baking", she replied in a reassuring voice.

"You are right… But if he breaks her heart, I would not hesitate to make his body disappear in the oven."

"I think everything will be fine for them, Tom. Relax", Sabine breathed calmly, placing a soothing hand on her husband's arm.

* * *

Marinette and Adrien were walking, hand in hand, along the south bank of the Seine.

The two teenagers were rather silent, but they often gave each other languid looks and soft smiles. But, Adrien knew his Lady well, and he could see that her gaze was more mischievous and mysterious than usual.

"Do I have a milk mustache on my face, princess?" he asked in a teasing voice, following yet another smirk from his beloved.

She rolled her eyes at his pun and stopped to face him.

"Don't you have something to tell me, kitty?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

He swallowed hard at the wry face of the girl, usually so sweet and happy.

"Well…" He ran a nervous hand around the back of his neck. "It's that.. Uh.. You see... Earlier this morning when I went to buy the roses .. Uh... I.. I.." he stammered.

"You?" She invited him to continue, frowning questioningly.

"I .. I met Nino who was also buying a bouquet for Alya. And…Please, my Lady, stop staring at me like that. I can almost feel my cat ears droop over my head and my tail nervously whip the ground."

Marinette tried not to laugh as she perfectly imagined what he had just described. She managed to keep, she didn't know how, her look falsely severe and offended, while waiting for the end of Adrien's explanations. Even though she already knew what he was about to say to her. But it was so funny to see that, for once, it was his turn to be uncomfortable in front of her and search for his words.

"Continue", she asked, in a tone a little softer.

"He was surprised to see me. Then he asked me who the flowers I was buying were for, I couldn't help but tell him they were for you. Then… I guess he told Alya… and she rushed to call you, didn't she?" He asked, a little worried.

Marinette sighed and nodded.

" Alya asks for details. After that, I didn't understand anything. It was a series of monosyllables and onomatopoeias that came out of her mouth at full speed."

" I am sorry. I should have been more discreet but …" Adrien apologized, looking down at his shoes.

"It's okay, _Minou_. I just wanted to tease you a little! I'm not going to hide our relationship. On the contrary! We'll just have to wait a bit to make Chat Noir and Ladybug official, okay? Otherwise either Alya will have a heart attack, or she will discover our secret identities…. or both!"

"Both, for sure" he chuckled.

"Definitely!" She replied, chuckling too.

Adrien looked at her tenderly. The laughter of his beloved was an absolutely perfect and intoxicating melody for his ears.

He looked around and saw with pleasure that they were alone on the promenade. He then took her hand and pulled her to a bench. He pulled out a small square, red and pearly envelope from his pocket, and handed it to his girlfriend.

She looked at him in surprise and grabbed the envelope. She hurriedly opened it to take out a small card on which her boyfriend had written, in his most beautiful handwriting, a quote.

_"There is no love or friendship, which crosses the path of our Destiny without leaving a mark forever."_

When she looked up at him, she was caught by his tender and loving gaze.

He grabbed gently one of her hands and laced their fingers together. He then cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Marinette, what I want more than anything is that the footprint you leave in my life and in my heart becomes indelible", he breathed, lifting her hand and placing it on his heart.

He plunged his emerald gaze into her sapphire eyes.

"I know that we are still very young and I also know that you and I have only been together since yesterday. It may seem totally sudden to you, but what I also know is that we are linked to each other. Whether by Destiny, by Miraculous magic, or by any other earthly or supernatural force, nevermind. I know I loved you since the first day, and I know you too. As Adrien or as Chat Noir, I will always stand by your side.

He tightened his grip on her hand, feeling his heart beat faster and faster in his chest.

"Marinette. My princess. My Lady ... You, the chosen one of my heart, I promise to love you, today much more than yesterday and much less than tomorrow", he declared sincerely, putting his other hand on her cheek and gently stroking it.

The young girl, moved, could not restrain the tears which streamed down her cheeks. Without warning, she plunged into Adrien's arms and kissed him passionately as if nothing else existed in the universe. It was as if the earth had stopped turning beneath their feet, suspending their embrace and their kiss in a timeless bubble.

"All these romantic displays are going to frighten my camembert eventually" Plagg hissed, before a little red paw blocked his mouth.

"Ssht! They are happy, let them live their moment without interrupting them with your sarcasm, stinky sock", Tikki replied sternly, tucking Plagg's head inside Marinette's bag.

A few moments later, Marinette and Adrien got up to resume their walk. Feeling a few flakes fall on his face, the boy grabbed the black umbrella the girl had been holding so far and opened it above their heads. The umbrella, the same one that had opened Marinette's heart, now sheltered them from the snow that was starting to fall.

Adrien put an arm around Marinette's waist and pulled her tightly against him. The young girl didn't need to be asked to snuggle up against him and lay her head on his shoulder.

In front of them, the landscape slowly covered with a white coat, taking on the appearance of a magnificent postcard.

Thus, together, tight against each other, and happier than ever, they continued to advance along the Seine. And it is in the same way that they would continue to advance, forever, _on the road of their Destiny._..

_**The End** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is with a pinch in my heart that I declare the end of this story.  
> I hope to have warmed up yours in this cold February.  
> I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on "Road to the Destiny" If you love history, leave a review and don't hesitate to share it.


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